Opinion: refreshing to hear the new Port Vale manager pull no punches

Rob Fielding says it’s refreshing to hear a truthful post-match interview with new Port Vale FC manager Darrell Clarke.

Rob Fielding writes…

It’s unfair to judge Clarke on performances just now. However, if you’re judging him on remarks to the media he’d get top marks…

Well, while it’s worrying times for the Vale on the pitch, it’s refreshing to hear new manager Darrell Clarke pull no punches with his post-match interview after the drab draw with Stevenage. It’s one thing to talk the talk of course and any honest post-match interviews will be insignificant if results don’t improve but two matches into his tenure it’s unfair to judge Clarke on performances just now. However, if you’re judging him on remarks to the media he’d get top marks.

Clarke was searingly honest in his assessment of:

• The performance against Stevenage – “shocking at times”
• The make-up of the squad he inherited – “the squad is massive. It is a lot bigger squad than I had at Walsall, a lot more expensive squad than I had we are not going to paper over those cracks are we.”
• The balance of the squad – “how can you have a 30-man squad with one defensive midfielder?”
• What he expects from every player – “everyone who is contracted at this club fits into what we are going to do from now until the end of the season. Everyone is part of it. They get paid by this football club.”

It’s refreshing stuff and reassuring to think that the manager is under no illusions of the task ahead. He still has to do that work of course and this summer will be huge in terms of who is brought into the squad and who leaves it.

So, rather than the usual post-match platitudes, it’s great to hear a manager talk the talk. However, it is just words at the moment. Let’s just hope he can walk the walk as well. If so, Port Vale will have a bright future ahead of them.